#1  
Old 11-18-2019, 01:59 AM
pokey1 pokey1 is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 229
Default Front suspension conversion to coil over

Has anyone else done this on an A body? recommendations? suggestions?

__________________
1967 GTO, 467 roller motor, e heads ported, tremec T56 magnum 6 speed and
9" done. EZ EFI 2.0 with FAST dual sync distributor and separate nitrous system done. Track is at 4300 ft elevation. so far a best of 11.95@116. Suspension now getting dialed in...tubular front a arms with dual adjustable coil overs HR Parts n stuff rear bar and whole car lowered 3 inches..
  #2  
Old 11-20-2019, 01:00 AM
pokey1 pokey1 is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 229
Default

Going to try going with QA1 tubular a arms and QA1 coil over shocks... hopefully no clearance problems with my headers..

__________________
1967 GTO, 467 roller motor, e heads ported, tremec T56 magnum 6 speed and
9" done. EZ EFI 2.0 with FAST dual sync distributor and separate nitrous system done. Track is at 4300 ft elevation. so far a best of 11.95@116. Suspension now getting dialed in...tubular front a arms with dual adjustable coil overs HR Parts n stuff rear bar and whole car lowered 3 inches..
  #3  
Old 11-23-2019, 02:52 PM
389 389 is offline
Suspended
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Pittsburgh
Posts: 561
Default

I was always under the impression that coil overs were just good for people who like to change ride heights a lot. That they have no advantages other then that. My buddys 64 Chevelle had coil overs and they were bending the top of the spring pockets somehow.. Al that pressure at one small point..

SC&C sells a beautiful spring package that's 1" lower then stock. And that's REAL stock not what they call it today with all these jacked up springs they sell..

  #4  
Old 11-24-2019, 12:36 AM
pokey1 pokey1 is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 229
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by 389 View Post
I was always under the impression that coil overs were just good for people who like to change ride heights a lot. That they have no advantages other then that. My buddys 64 Chevelle had coil overs and they were bending the top of the spring pockets somehow.. Al that pressure at one small point..

SC&C sells a beautiful spring package that's 1" lower then stock. And that's REAL stock not what they call it today with all these jacked up springs they sell..
I am looking for some adjustment to be able to lower the whole car but am also planning to use the double dampning adjustment to be able to adjust for normal driving and also change for better weight transfer at the track. I did not think about the spring pockets bending. Will definitely keep an eye on that. Thanks for the reply.

__________________
1967 GTO, 467 roller motor, e heads ported, tremec T56 magnum 6 speed and
9" done. EZ EFI 2.0 with FAST dual sync distributor and separate nitrous system done. Track is at 4300 ft elevation. so far a best of 11.95@116. Suspension now getting dialed in...tubular front a arms with dual adjustable coil overs HR Parts n stuff rear bar and whole car lowered 3 inches..
  #5  
Old 11-24-2019, 04:00 PM
FrankieT/A's Avatar
FrankieT/A FrankieT/A is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: USA
Posts: 2,556
Default

Not to mention all that weight on four lower shock bolts...

__________________
1978 Black & Gold T/A [complete 70 Ram Air III (carb to pan) PQ and 12 bolt], fully loaded, deluxe, WS6, T-Top car - 1972 Formula 455HO Ram Air numbers matching Julep Green - 1971 T/A 455, 320 CFM Eheads, RP cam, Doug's headers, Fuel injection, TKX 5 Spd. 12 Bolt 3.73, 4 wheel disc. All A/C cars
  #6  
Old 11-25-2019, 11:47 PM
pokey1 pokey1 is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 229
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by FrankieT/A View Post
Not to mention all that weight on four lower shock bolts...
when using the QA1 a arms shock crossbar on the bottom comes off and has a cross bolt that bolts to an additional flat plate that bolts on top of another plate on the lower a frame. 4 bolts keep it in place. Thanks for the reply. I had to look at the kit to see. If you use the stock a arms I see you still use the crossbar on the bottom with 2 bolts but the shock does sit on top of the a arm instead of the bottom like a stock shock.

__________________
1967 GTO, 467 roller motor, e heads ported, tremec T56 magnum 6 speed and
9" done. EZ EFI 2.0 with FAST dual sync distributor and separate nitrous system done. Track is at 4300 ft elevation. so far a best of 11.95@116. Suspension now getting dialed in...tubular front a arms with dual adjustable coil overs HR Parts n stuff rear bar and whole car lowered 3 inches..

Last edited by pokey1; 11-25-2019 at 11:53 PM.
  #7  
Old 11-25-2019, 11:50 PM
pokey1 pokey1 is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 229
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by 389 View Post
I was always under the impression that coil overs were just good for people who like to change ride heights a lot. That they have no advantages other then that. My buddys 64 Chevelle had coil overs and they were bending the top of the spring pockets somehow.. Al that pressure at one small point..

SC&C sells a beautiful spring package that's 1" lower then stock. And that's REAL stock not what they call it today with all these jacked up springs they sell..
I see the top of the shock bolts on one point like stock, top of the spring does still sit in the spring pocket. Don't see why this would be additional pressure to bend the spring pocket. I will watch it tho. Thanks

__________________
1967 GTO, 467 roller motor, e heads ported, tremec T56 magnum 6 speed and
9" done. EZ EFI 2.0 with FAST dual sync distributor and separate nitrous system done. Track is at 4300 ft elevation. so far a best of 11.95@116. Suspension now getting dialed in...tubular front a arms with dual adjustable coil overs HR Parts n stuff rear bar and whole car lowered 3 inches..
  #8  
Old 11-26-2019, 12:04 AM
1965gp 1965gp is offline
Chief Ponti-yacker
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 948
Default

I don’t know much about these but I have heard good things. Check www.pro-touring.com I am sure there are some builds there you can research

  #9  
Old 11-26-2019, 05:12 PM
389 389 is offline
Suspended
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Pittsburgh
Posts: 561
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by pokey1 View Post
I see the top of the shock bolts on one point like stock, top of the spring does still sit in the spring pocket. Don't see why this would be additional pressure to bend the spring pocket. I will watch it tho. Thanks
This was on a 65 Chevelle. They guy sold the car so I don't know what ever happened to it...

  #10  
Old 12-11-2019, 06:38 PM
TCSGTO's Avatar
TCSGTO TCSGTO is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Warren,Ohio,USA
Posts: 1,675
Default

I tried a set of QA-1’s with 550 lb springs for a short time and didn’t care for them. You have to run a stiff spring with a heavy car to keep the front end off of the ground and they limited front end travel compared to a stock spring/shock. The ride was too harsh for me no matter how they were adjusted and it didn’t transfer weight as well with the short stiff spring. My car is mostly straight line though so they may work better in a different application.

I hear the Vikings ride better and are a little less expensive. Their adjustment is suppose to be more sensitive also. I know someone with a 69 Chevelle that switched to the Vikings from the QA-1’s and likes them much better.

__________________
68 GTO,3860#
Stock Original 400/M-20 Muncie,3.55’s
13.86 @ 100
Old combo:
462 10.75 CR,,SD 330CFM Round Port E's,Old Faithful cam,Jim Hand Continental,3.42's.
1968 Pontiac GTO : 11.114 @ 120.130 MPH

New combo:
517 MR-1,10.8 CR,SD 350CFM E's,QFT 950/Northwind,246/252 HR,9.5” 4000 stall,3.42's
636HP/654TQ
1.452 10.603 @ 125.09
http://www.dragtimes.com/Pontiac-GTO...lip-31594.html
  #11  
Old 12-12-2019, 10:58 AM
76TA462 76TA462 is offline
Senior Chief
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 349
Default

Not an A-body, but I did UMI upper and lower tubulars and 550 lb Viking Coil Overs (UMI sells the Viking) for my 76 F-Body. Extremely happy with my application, to lower car and improve handling. Ride is harder, as would be expected, but not a big deal if expected. But I also changed the wheels and rubber with less side wall than my previous 15 inch. I have a “modern” unmodified sports car that is just as harsh. It just doesn’t rattle as much, but hey, my car is approaching 44 years old. Rides like a rail now, and feels a lot safer when pushing corners. The coils over are double adjustable and easy to dial in. If you go this route, get the spanners and thrust bearing kit if not included.

  #12  
Old 02-10-2020, 10:28 AM
8LUG 8LUG is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: euclid ohio
Posts: 1,455
Default

How does the front end alignment work with these changes?

  #13  
Old 02-10-2020, 11:48 AM
jwcfbd's Avatar
jwcfbd jwcfbd is offline
Chief Ponti-yacker
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Texas
Posts: 824
Default

I went with Global West control arms and QA1 coil overs on my 67 Firebird and have zero complaints.

__________________
67 Firebird Convertible
  #14  
Old 02-10-2020, 03:31 PM
pokey1 pokey1 is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 229
Default

Has anyone changed the front sway bar as well? Parts have been sitting on my garage floor for a couple months... need to get everything installed here and aligned before long.

__________________
1967 GTO, 467 roller motor, e heads ported, tremec T56 magnum 6 speed and
9" done. EZ EFI 2.0 with FAST dual sync distributor and separate nitrous system done. Track is at 4300 ft elevation. so far a best of 11.95@116. Suspension now getting dialed in...tubular front a arms with dual adjustable coil overs HR Parts n stuff rear bar and whole car lowered 3 inches..
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 01:09 PM.

 

About Us

The PY Online Forums is the largest online gathering of Pontiac enthusiasts anywhere in the world. Founded in 1991, it was also the first online forum for people to gather and talk about their Pontiacs. Since then, it has become the mecca of Pontiac technical data and knowledge that no other place can surpass.

 




Copyright © 2017